MFR supports Caithness FM to launch dedicated frequency

MFR has supported Caithness FM with the launch of their own radio frequency – 106.5 FM – from which they officially began broadcasting today (Saturday 18th January).

The move for Caithness FM to their dedicated frequency on 106.5 FM will provide the station the opportunity to broadcast 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. MFR will continue to use the 102.5 FM frequency and listeners in Caithness will now have the opportunity to tune into both MFR and Caithness FM at any time of day.

Historically, listeners in Caithness using the 102.5 FM frequency have been able to listen to MFR until 7pm most evenings, when Caithness FM began broadcasting, ultimately changing radio station for the listener.

"We’re hugely proud to support our friends at Caithness FM with their own frequency, enabling them to better serve their dedicated listeners."

Part of Bauer Media Scotland, MFR has been working with the team at Caithness FM on the switch-over process since their community radio license was awarded by Ofcom in January 2018. The partnership has provided an economic solution for the community station with MFR absorbing the costs associated to enable this project.

MFR’s support of Caithness FM follows similar successful projects with the leading station helping both Keith Community Radio in Moray and Speysound in the Cairngorms National Park to move to their own frequencies, much to the delight of listeners in the local area.

MFR’s content director David Walker said: “This year, MFR will celebrate 24 years of broadcasting across Caithness on 102.5 FM. We’re hugely proud to support our friends at Caithness FM with their own frequency, enabling them to better serve their dedicated listeners. It’s been a long and technical process with a dedicated Bauer Media engineer working alongside the team at Caithness FM to offer listeners in the area their choice in radio channel.”

Jackie Johnson, company secretary at Caithness FM said: “Caithness FM first broadcast in October 1993 on a temporary licence, using equipment borrowed from MFR, so the station has really been part of our journey over the past 20 years. We’ve been working hard with the team at MFR and Bauer Media to ensure everything would be technically correct ahead of launch on Saturday 18th January. Myself and the whole Caithness FM team would like to thank the team at MFR for all their support.

“Our programming will now start at 6pm every evening, finishing at 11pm with MFR continuing to be broadcast on our new frequency outwith these times. Having our own channel will provide us with more opportunity to broadcast live from events and get out and about in the community.

“The switch provides the opportunity to extend our programming, which we hope to do in the future, though we’ll need some more presenters – so if you fancy joining the Caithness FM team, please get in touch.”

MFR’s former managing director Thomas Prag was instrumental in setting up a number of community radio stations across the Highlands, operating on MFR’s licence and using their frequencies. These stations paved the way for community radio in the UK and were on air several years before Ofcom began offering community radio licences.

Speaking about the switchover, Thomas Prag added: “Caithness is the last of the stations I helped set up in the 90s to move to their own airwaves – it’s a surreal and special moment for me. Local people like local chat, so it’s fantastic to see the commitment from Bauer Media, MFR and Caithness FM in continuing to deliver this to a community who are clearly engaged in such output.”

MFR will continue to play the biggest hits and the biggest throwbacks and broadcast local news, sport, traffic and travel on their 102.5FM frequency all over Caithness, as well as their other frequencies across the rest of the Highlands, Moray and parts of Aberdeenshire. Caithness FM can be found on 106.5FM from 2pm on Saturday 18th January.

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